Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - Rank 031
"Save Your Friends!!" is the thirty-first chapter of the ''Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL'' manga. This chapter was first printed in Japanese in the 8/2013 issue of V Jump, released on June 21, 2013, and in English in the 6/24/2013 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump. Summary Kaito and Shark both fall to 500 Life Points as Yuma asks what is going on. Shadow laughs, commenting that the trap activated perfectly. As Kaito and Shark hand from "No. 13: Cain's Doom" and "No. 31: Abel's Doom" respectively, he explains that he lost Duels to them on purpose so that they would take the "Numbers," which will continue to activate automatically and inflict damage with excruciatingly painful attacks. He wonders if they can hold up once their Life Points are gone, and both Luna and Orbital 7 voice their displeasure at Shadow's tactics. Shadow comments to Yuma and Astral that now their enemies will disappear, commenting that it's convenient for them. Yuma expresses confusion, and Shadow points out that Yuma would eventually have to fight them. Yuma protests that it was Shadow and his cohorts who started the Numbers War and that he doesn't see Kaito or Shark as enemies. If you Duel someone you understand them, and you can be friends, he claims. Shadow is the only enemy that they need to take out. Kaito and Shark both deny being friends with Yuma, and Shadow is surprised by Yuma's naivety. But he can use this to finish them off now. Shadow offers Yuma and Astral a chance to save Kaito and Shark, by Dueling him. If they defeat Shadow, then the "Numbers" will lose their power. Yuma agrees, but Astral tells him to wait, knowing both that Shadow is plotting something, and that Kaito and Shark only have 500 Life Points left; they won't be able to win in one turn. Shadow teleports in front of them, agreeing. But that would be boring, so Shadow will make a special rule just for them. He'll increase their Life Points by reducing Yuma and Astral's own. Astral states that he knew it, and Shadow asks if they'll accept. Both Shark and Kaito tell Yuma to leave them alone, but Yuma offers Shadow 2000 Life Points, 1000 for each. Astral protests as Shadow mocks Yuma. Yuma tosses his bag aside and takes out his D-Pad, as Astral reminds him that they will have to win somehow with 2000 Life Points. Yuma yells that he knows, but he can't just abandon Kaito and Shark. Astral protests further that they are one a mission to save both the Astral World and this one, and Yuma agrees, but he can't watch someone suffer in front of him. He asks Astral to believe in him the way Yuma believed in Astral when they fought Thunder Spark, and Astral remembers the encounter. Yuma states that Astral only has to believe in the power of believing in people and Astral agrees, but suggests that they give Shadow 2002 Life Points, so that a single Life Point can keep Kaito and Shark alive for an additional turn, since if they only gained 1500 Life Points, the 500 points per turn that the "Numbers" would take would only last three turns. Shadow agrees, and both Shark and Kaito rise to 1501 Life Points. Luna is shocked that Yuma would do what he did, despite being their enemy, wondering if he's confident or just an idiot. The Duel begins, with Yuma vowing to rescue Kaito and Shark. Shadow takes the first turn, drawing a card. He Summons "Splitting Planarian" and immediately activates its effect, allowing him to banish it to Special Summon two "Shadow Planarians" from his Deck. Then he overlays his two Level 3 monsters to Xyz Summon his "Number", "No. 48: Shadow Lich." Unable to attack, Shadow Sets a card and ends his turn, which means that Kaito and Shark's Duel continues. "Cain's Doom" attacks, and the damage is dealt to both of the Duelists, reducing them to 1001 Life Points. Shadow comments that they only have three turns left, and Yuma yells at them to hang on. He draws a card and Special Summons "Swift Hippo Dynatherium," which allows Shadow to Special Summon a monster of the same Level - 4 - from his Graveyard, but Shadow doesn't have any. Then he Summons "Gagaga Magician" and immediately overlays them. Shadow observes that Yuma is playing his trump card already as Yuma Xyz Summons "No. 39: Utopia." Yuma thinks that "Utopia" can handle "Shadow Lich's" 1800 ATK and attacks, but Shadow snaps that it won't work, using "Shadow Lich's" ability to place "Phantom Tokens" on the field and hide among them. Shadow comments that even if the 500 ATK Token is destroyed, he won't take any damage and wonders what they'll do now. Astral asks if Shadow is simply stalling until Kaito and Shark's Life Points run out, and states that their attack only has a 20% chance of success. Yuma decides to take out the middle one, but misses, and he takes 500 damage from the "Phantom Token's" effect, reducing him to 1498 Life Points. Astral realizes that attacking the wrong Token will mean that they take the damage, and Yuma Sets a card to end his turn. Kaito and Shark's Duel continues and their screams of pain alert Yuma as their Life Points fall to 501. Shadow comments that they only have two turns left to live and he draws. Yuma protests that "Shadow Lich's" low ATK will prevent it from attacking, but Shadow activates his monster's second effect, allowing it to gain the ATK of the other Tokens. "Shadow Lich" swells as it rises to 3300 ATK, and it raises its scythe to attack "Utopia." Astral tells Yuma to use "Utopia's" effect, and Yuma begins to do so, but Shadow calls them predictable, activating his Trap Card, "Xyz Stun," negating the effect of their Xyz Monster. Astral quickly orders Yuma to use their Trap, and Yuma activates "Half Unbreak" to prevent his monster's destruction and halve the battle damage. He's thrown backwards as his Life Points fall to 1098. Both Kite and Shark express concern, but soon they have to worry about each other as their Duel continues. "Cain's Doom's" attack reduces them both to a single Life Point, and Shadow laughs, commenting that all three of them are done for. Featured Duels A Duel starts between Yuma and Shadow, while Kaito and Shark's Duel continues at the same time as Yuma and Shadow's Duel. Shadow makes an offer for Yuma to give up his Life Points in exchange for Kaito's and Shark's Life Points. Yuma decides to give up 2002 Life Points, for Kaito and Shark to gain 1001 Life Points each (Yuma 4000 → 1998, Shark 500 → 1501, Kaito 500 → 1501). For each turn that passes in the Duel between Yuma and Shadow, a turn will pass in Kaito and Shark's Duel. Yuma Tsukumo vs. Shadow Turn 1: Shadow Shadow Normal Summons "Splitting Planarian" (1000/800) in Attack Position. He activates its effect, banishing it to Special Summon two "Shadow Planarians" (500/400) from his Deck. He then overlays his two Level 3 "Shadow Planarians" to Xyz Summon "No. 48: Shadow Lich" (1800/0) in Attack Position. He Sets a card. Turn 2: Yuma Yuma Special Summons "Swift Hippo Dynatherium" (1600/600) from his hand. When "Swift Hippo Dynatherium" is Special Summoned from the hand, Shadow can Special Summon a monster from his Graveyard of the same Level as "Swift Hippo Dynatherium" to his side of the field, but he has no Level 4 monsters in his Graveyard. Yuma then Normal Summons "Gagaga Magician" (1500/1000) and overlays his two Level 4 monsters to Xyz Summon "No. 39: Utopia" (2500/2000) in Attack Position. Yuma attacks "Shadow Lich" with "Utopia", but Shadow activates its effect. When "Shadow Lich" is attacked, destroyed, or removed from the field by the card effect of a card the opponent controls, it can Special Summon as many "Phantom Tokens" as possible instead, while becoming an "Phantom Token" itself. Shadow Special Summons four "Phantom Tokens" (500/500) in Attack Position. He takes no battle damage from battles involving "Phantom Tokens". A replay occurs, and Yuma attacks and destroys the middle "Phantom Token" with "Utopia", which is not the real "Shadow Lich". As a "Phantom Token" is destroyed, its effect activates, dealing damage equal to its ATK to the opponent (Yuma 1998 → 1498). Yuma Sets a card. Turn 3: Shadow Shadow activates the other effect of "Shadow Lich", gaining the combined ATK of his three "Phantom Tokens" until the end of the turn ("Shadow Lich" 1800 → 3300). Shadow attacks "Utopia" with "Shadow Lich", at which point Yuma activates the effect of "Utopia" to negate the attack. Shadow activates his face-down "Xyz Stun", negating the effect of "Utopia". Yuma activates his face-down "Half Unbreak", preventing "Utopia" from being destroyed by battle and halving any battle damage from this battle. The attack continues (Yuma 1498 → 1098). Ryoga "Shark" Kamishiro vs. Kaito Tenjo Turn 7: Kaito Kaito's "No. 13: Cain's Doom" (500/500) attacks Shark's "No. 31: Abel's Doom" (500/500), but both monsters are not destroyed by battle. Their effects activate, dealing damage equal to their ATK to the other player (Shark 1501 → 1001, Kaito 1501 → 1001). Turn 8: Shark Shark's "Abel's Doom" attacks Kaito's "Cain's Doom". Both monsters are not destroyed, and both players take 500 damage. (Shark 1001 → 501, Kaito 1001 → 501). Turn 9: Kaito Kaito's "Cain's Doom" attacks Shark's "Abel's Doom". Both monsters are not destroyed, and both players take 500 damage. (Shark 501 → 1, Kaito 501 → 1). Featured cards The following cards appeared in this chapter. Cards in italics debuted here.